Failed experiment
It pains me to say it but it seems to prove lately that releasing games after the Xmas rush really doesn’t pay off. With the new God Of War and Gears Of War selling considerably less than their last games, which correct me if I’m wrong were released during the Xmas rush. I know every one complains (including me) about the volume of games over a very short amount of time but it seems developers are spot on with releasing games in the last three or four months of the year.Justelvis81 (gamertag)

GC: You may unfortunately be right, although God Of War is traditionally always released in March or April – and both games are prequels rather than numbered sequels. The fact that it’s the end of the console generation also muddies the water, but it’s true that no publisher is going to look at the last few months of sales as encouragement for releasing major games outside the Christmas rush.

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The new Sega
As a long-neglected Sega fan I had my hopes set way too high for today’s reveal. I know we have had NiGHTS, Jet Set Radio, and Fighting Vipers but I have longed for remakes or sequels of the more profound Sega titles. Yu Suzuki is constantly stoking the Shenmue fire, and many websites reported that Shenmue HD was ready to go over a year ago.

I feel like Sega are losing their identity, whilst they are publishing great games from internally-owned studios like The Creative Assembly, Sports Interactive, and the recently acquired Relic Entertainment. I’m worried Panzer Dragoon, Skies Of Arcadia, Shenmue, Phantasy Star or the Shining Force series are ever going to see the light of day again.charleyax

Beyond normal
Even though I have been a reader for a long, long time I have never written in, but something has been niggling at me and there is no better place than to ask it. I usually play through games on normal mode (time, and my slightly above average skills the reason) and I was wondering if any games become better when played on a harder difficulty.

I have always assumed the developers just throw more enemies at you or have cheating artificial intelligence, but I would like to know if any developers put some imagination into the higher difficulties in their games, rather than bullet absorbing death machines and less save points.McClane’sVest
PS: I have an unused online pass for Assassin’s Creed III, so if anybody wants it: V4966-K76P9-W36XC-FGC7W-2JGMZ

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GC: Few games change radically on higher difficulties (even Halo’s Legendary mode just makes the enemies better shots) but many games are more satisfying on a level beyond the default difficulty. Recently we’ve recommend that existing fans of Tomb Raider and BioShock might consider skipping Normal on their first playthrough of the new games.

Monster Hunter hunter
After deliberating over Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate I decided to take the plunge and head to my local GAME store yesterday to get both the Wii U and also the 3DS versions (so I can avoid talking to my dysfunctional family when I visit over Easter).

GAME Bristol advised that all Wii U copies had sold out and that the next shipment was expected late April! I was also advised that in that store the 3DS version has also sold out. Heading over to PC World, HMV, and Argos proved a waste of energy and I eventually downloaded both versions at home. This means I lose the GAME points and resell value – a double whammy.

Is this a sign of things to come… with GAME the only major retailer of new titles, if they run out of stock (in Bristol at least) you’re stuffed. Hopefully the shortages are a sign of a successful opening week but alarm bells are ringing. The sense of excitement just isn’t the same waiting for the blue bar to fill as walking home with a new sealed copy of a AAA game.Bristolpete

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Grand Theft Yokel
Brief bit of inbox magic wishing: A game based on the programme Lizard Lick Towing (Dave). For those who understandably may not have watched it, it’s partly set-up/partly real hilarious coverage of the workings of a repossession tow truck company in an America southern state. Very redneck, full of accents and strange philosophy but the whole show is like a particularly American Grand Theft Auto and I think it would rock in game form!

Taking dangerous repossession jobs, dealing with the gun-wielding owners of those cars who try to stop you and come to retrieve their cars, finding imaginative ways to hook up the cars, managing finances, all in the American countryside, ah it’s easier to sell it to you if you’ve seen it! Literally a Saints Row/Grand Theft Auto clone but one with a working business and yokels! I’m hoping I’m not the only one who’s watched this!Redant22

Story before gameplay
I’m completely torn. BioShock Infinite has dazzled me with its world and story but left me rather underwhelmed with its actual gameplay. Gone are the tightly woven action/puzzle rooms of the first replaced by either story or shooter designated areas. Areas that please aesthetically (and do add to the story) but lack any real inspired interaction, sure we get the skyline to whizz about on but even that seems relegated to specific action setpieces and certainly not as a form of exploration.

The shooting was OK, flashy and somewhat stylish on normal and more thoughtful yet inadvertently cover-dependant on hard, but it never really grabbed me. The pace of the game and narrative drive means that every area is a fleeting moment rather than a puzzle to solve, be it strategic or otherwise, in fact the game became something of a slog towards the end for me with the same clear area, loot-corpse cycle.

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It’s modern in the sense that everything it has to show you cannot take place in anything other than its current streamlined fashion. I liked the original more, it harked back to a slower, more thoughtful approach to gameplay but that is just personal preference, this is still a fantastic adventure. The real winner here is the story, sure it’s not the most original and I could name a director whom is probably owed royalties but coupled with the setting it really is worth witnessing. And even despite my other grievances it would still be a high 8 or low 9 from me.Petch1984

Essential purchase
RE: Wii U HMV price cut, it’s interesting that Coventry HMV had already sold out on the Saturday, good on Declan for taking the plunge and like he says the big hitters will come. I have to be honest I’m wondering if I did the right thing in not going for one on Saturday, but it’s too late now and I’ll just have to pay more when the games do start coming.

I have decided to get a 3DS on Friday though, Luigi’s Mansion 2 sounds like an essential purchase and I’m itching to play it. On a different subject do any GC contributors know of a reputable retro console company? I’m looking for a first gen Xbox and possibly a Dreamcast as well if it’s affordable. Any help would be much appreciated.mitchell

Final battle
So I finished Tomb Raider the other night. Whilst I loved the game did anyone else feel like the level design on the final couple of levels was awful? I’m talking about the second to last level more specifically (It’s called ‘Chasm Stronghold’ in the IGN guide). In this level the enemies have pretty tough amour and can be hard(ish) to kill.

Tomb Raider doesn’t have a cover system or even a run ‘n’ gun mechanic. These enemies don’t hide behind cover they run straight at you. This forces you into some really awkward encounters where you are trying to run away and get to a distance where you can aim. These enemies are also thrown at you in such great numbers that it becomes even more awkward.

I didn’t have trouble finishing that level but it highlights some bad level design in my eyes as it wasn’t fun and showcased the huge flaws in Tomb Raider’s combat. I’m excited for a sequel but please add in a run ‘n’ gun system if you’re going to put in levels like that.Mini-Nev

GC: Tomb Raider does have a cover system? That final section is meant to be difficult – to seem almost impossible at first, with enemies that can’t be combated in the same manner as the others.

The oldest answer
The first ‘game’ I played was at my secondary school (maybe I should mention that I am 49 at this point). We had started with punch cards to program, these had to be sent to somewhere in London to be run, then to ticker tape, and then an actual monitor with a text-based adventure/dungeon crawler.

Also I seem to remember that there was a text-based racing game, to be honest I’m not sure which was actually first. It was in a small room under the stairs, probably an old broom cupboard and we were one of a few schools to have this new gadget called a computer.

It seems really odd now but no one actually thought that this medium would be worth studying as a serious career option. I now feel very old and shall retire with BioShock infinite and reflect on times gone by.Wkma (PSN ID)

Close collaboration
Are Activision and Nvidia the same company? The real-time character demo video that has ‘Property of Activision’ plastered across it is exactly the same character shown by Nvidia when demonstrating their Faceworks’ technology a week before. He even gives the same speech about frozen yoghurt. (Skip to 8.43 for the footage.) I suspect Activision googled ‘who’s good with faces’ (research) and then licensed Nvidia’s tools for a fee (development).Boomey

GC: Most of the next gen demos you’ve seen so far have been created in conjunction with a hardware manufacturer. We remember the Star Wars 1313 demo in particular was described as a straight collaboration between LucasArts and Nvidia.

So many games, so little time
I work away all the time. I have just recently been enjoying an extended hiatus from work which means that I am now confronted with the true horror of my gaming backlog. I adore video games with all my heart. I was there in the day cuddling my Atari 2600.

I buy them with every intention to play them but… the bodies are starting to stack up now so to speak. I just cannot help myself. I read a good review and, if a stellar endorsement, I buy. I am in over my head here now (the reveal of the F-Zero AX Action Replay code during my half week off didn’t help my trawl through the backlog). I’m losing so much ground. I have read reviews for BioShock Infinite, Far Cry 3, Dishonored et al. and it breaks my heart that I don’t have more time.

Currently I have only just started Zelda: Skyward Sword as the current game of choice and I’m really loving it. Before that it was Batman: Arkham Asylum (loved that) and before that Deadly Premonition (possibly my fave game of all time). This should give you an idea of how little chance I get to play. Ironically, in trying to catch up with the modern, it will be Ico & Shadow Of The Colossus next. I really do intend to play every game I buy but hey, better to have it and not the time to play it than to have the time and not the game.

Still, I find myself loving my iPad more and more. I can play amazing games such as LostWinds, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, Joe Danger, Ghost Trick, The Walking Dead, Contre Jour, Phoenix Wright, and The World Ends With You anywhere and for as long as I deem without having to compromise on other constraints. I read a load about about XCOM on these pages and saw the love from afar with a sort of envy. To now know it is coming to iOS is amazing.D Dubya

Inbox also-rans
I see Uncharted 3 is available on PlayStation Network but it says it is a whopping 47GB in size. Can anyone verify this? I only want to play the single-player game and fancy the convenience of the download vs. disk. However I only have a 60GB hard drive. Red Dead Redemption was only about 8GB. What size will next gen games be?WanEye (PSN ID)

GC: We haven’t got a disc to hand to check but we’re sure Uncharted was more likely to use up the whole Blu-ray than most other games.

Dunno if anyone else has had this issue but here at work anything to do with games has been blocked on the browser. I however have found a way around it. Simply go onto the Metro main site and navigate your way the games section and you should yet again be able to read all the goodness. Until they find a way to block it again.Bobwallett
PS: Dark Souls II, hurry up.

I wrote the other day about Shadow Man but the regular GC custodians were away. Were you fans of the game? I know it had a sequel as well, was that any good at all?Ninginja

GC: We’ve never actually played it, or its sequel. But we’re sure a reader can comment. To anticipate the obvious question though we’d imagine the video game licence is back with comics publisher Valiant.

This week’s Hot Topic
The subject for this weekend’s Inbox was suggested by reader Gadfly, who asks if there’s ever been a point where you’ve given up on a long-running series of games and realised the franchise no longer interests you?

At what people did a franchise release a sequel (or spin-off) too far and did you really stop buying new games at that point? Was the reason you gave up because the game itself was no good or was it simply because there’d been too many similar games released too close to each other?

If your favourite franchise hasn’t reached this point yet what is there that could put you off it in the future? Which franchise would be improved by less sequels and a partial rest, and which would you be happy to play as often as possible?